Ah, the New Year. Resolutions and goals have been made, but as the month of January lingers on, and life returns to being crazy busy, those goals and resolutions sometimes slip to the way side, especially in the health department. I know, because I've been guilty of this before hand, I'm sure we all have. Life gets hectic and your health takes a back seat and maybe you tend to do some stress eating, or maybe you don't, but I know I am guilty as charged for being a stress eater, and it's not handfuls of spinach I choose to indulge in either....

Well, that's where the #onechange initiative by Vega One comes in to save the day, and stop my serial snacker ways, it satisfies my sweet tooth AND has 3 servings of vegetables! As part of a kick start to the company's #onechange initiative, I was selected to sample and review their Nutritional Shake Product!

Vega Who? Vega One is a company created by Brenden Brazier, a professional Ironman triathlete, who was looking to create clean, plant-based nutrition. The Vega One Nutritional Shake is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, contains no added sugar, artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. Essentially, it is a squeaky clean all-in-one supplement with:

50% daily intake of vitamins and minerals

15 g protein (woot, woot!)

6 g fibre

1.5 g Omega-3

Antioxidants

Probiotics (hello healthy intestines!)

Greens (drinking your greens? score!)

For the Review Post, we had to select one of four personas that suited us best, and as soon as I saw the photo below, I knew I had found my persona, I admit it: I am a serial snacker. Or as my parents call it, a grazer. It's a habit I picked up somewhere along my high school years, and try as hard as I can, something I can't seem to shake completely. When I'm stressed, when I'm bored, or just happen to be passing by the kitchen, a snack attack of sweets might occur. I'll open the fridge or cupboard, grab a handful of something, munch and crunch, maybe go back for a few more handfuls or not, and then leave, maybe to return again only a few hours later. Luckily, I have gotten A LOT better at not doing this, BUT I still have moments of weakness, especially when I am stressed out, then I go into full serial snacker mode....

I'm going to make #onechange by using Vega One to kick my serial snacker ways to the curb!

When I'm snacking or feeling a rumbly in my tumbly between meals, I know I need protein to feel full but I often don't like the options in my fridge because they aren't sweet. Or maybe I'm out and about and forgot to pack my purse with my typical bag of green beans and chicken. (Yes, you read that right, I often carry protein and greens in my bag, or in my car in a cooler) What can I say, I love to eat AND I have a big sweet tooth. So when I'm out or at home and feeling the urge to snack, I want to feel satisfied and full, and happy about making a healthy choice.

No extra effort required, no additional prepping, just #onechange to make, a simple snack swap with Vega One's French Vanilla Nutritional Shake instead of some mindless munching. I will keep a packet in my purse, in my backpack, and leave the box out on the counter in my kitchen. That way, wherever I am, I have a healthy option that's packed with protein AND greens as well as other nutritional benefits! Just add some water and it's good to guzzle!

Trying It: Taste & Texture Review

I love peanut butter. I love chocolate. The two combined is a match made in heaven. Today I had a bad craving for dark, rich, chocately goodness with a hint of peanut butter, so I got a bit creative when making my post-work out protein shake. I just bought Peanut Butter & Co's Dark Chocolate Dreams spread and knew it would be the perfect way to satisfy my intense chocolate desires. Not only was this shake thick and creamy, it offered a hint of peanut butter with every chocolatey sip. Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter Protein Shake 1 scoop Isopure Dutch Chocolate (or protein powder of your choice)1 spoonful Dark Chocolate Dreams Spread by Peanut Butter & Co6-8 Icecubes8 ounces of water (you can use your milk alternative here as well)3 small slices of frozen banana to add thick consistency

Place all ingredients in a blender, blend for 2-3 minutesENJOY

Tip: Like your smoothies/shakes super frosty? Place a mason jar (or in my case, a very well cleaned out sauce jar that I use as a mason jar) in the freezer while prepping and blending and then pour your shake/smoothie into the jar to give it that extra chill factor!

This smoothie was created as a happy accident, a kind of "everything but the kitchen sink" recipe. The flecks of ingredients and the purple stain I later realized I had dribbled on my chin post consumption sparked me to get a bit funky with naming this recipe. Disclaimer, in no way do I support those who consume syrup or 'drank' this was just a fun play on words to use for my recipe title. This recipe combined a little bit of this and that from my freezer, don't have the below ingredients on hand? Make your own 'purple drank' or maybe your will be pink or orange!

2 handfuls of fresh spinach (can use Kale, but it has more of a bitter taste than spinach does)handful of FROZEN raspberries handful of FROZEN blueberries4-6 Icecubes (I tend to use more)1 cup water (or your milk/milk substitute)1 scoop of vanilla greek yogurt (or non dairy yogurt, lucky for me I can tolerate greek yogurt)Blend, and try not to gulp down the equivalent of what tasted like a grape kool aid slurpee, brain freeze will ensue ;]

Packing together pineapple and blueberry powers this smoothie with anti-bloating and anti-inflammatory powers, as well as a punch of antioxidants. SO clearly the reasons to try it are more than obvious...

2 handfuls of fresh spinach Small handful of FROZEN blueberries(key is that they are frozen so they will thicken up the smoothie)6-8 pieces of diced pineapple - I just buy canned it's easier!(add a splash of juice for extra sweetness! )4-6 Icecubes (I tend to use more)1 cup water (or your milk/milk substitute)1 scoop of vanilla greek yogurt (or non dairy yogurt, lucky for me I can tolerate greek yogurt)

BLEND AND ENJOY, perfect to sip while soakin' up the sun rays. Can't get outside and enjoy the nice weather, well at least your taste buds will be on a tropical vacation!

It hides the spinach so well you can't even SEE it, let alone taste it. This smoothie tasted so rich and indulgent, it was as if I was drinking a liquid candy bar. I'm not kidding....

Cocoa Raspberry Green Smoothie2 handfuls of fresh spinach (can use Kale, but it has more of a taste than spinach does)1-2 Tablespoons of Cocoa PowderSmall handful of FROZEN raspberries (key is that they are frozen so they will thicken up the smoothie)4-6 Icecubes (I tend to use more)1 cup water (or your milk/milk substitute)1 scoop of vanilla greek yogurt (or non dairy yogurt, lucky for me I can tolerate greek yogurt)

Notes:

I have made this smoothie a few times now, sometimes I add in a few chopped and frozen pieces of banana to thicken the smoothie up further, or I will play with the ratio of cocoa to raspberry.